Nokia teases Lumia 928 but stays mum on launch date

Nokia has confirmed the upcoming launch of the long-rumored Lumia 928, with a website that hints at advanced camera features.

The Lumia 928 will be an upgraded version of the existing flagship Lumia 920, and is expected to become available via U.S. operator Verizon Wireless. The website shows someone taking a picture of bathers at dusk using the phone, which is a likely reference to the Lumia's low-light prowess. The website also states "capture the highlights" and "stay tuned for updates about the newest Nokia Lumia."

The camera has long been a focus for Nokia, and last month when presenting the company's results for the first quarter of the year, CEO Stephen Elop stated that consumers should look to Nokia to "continue to advance the state of the art" in imaging. Elop also said the company would launch a high-end Lumia device with a leading U.S. operator before the end of June, and that event would mark the beginning of a string of new product introductions. The Lumia 928 is reportedly thinner and lighter than the Lumia 920.

Nokia needs a success in the U.S. if its sales of Windows Phone-based smartphones are to continue to grow. The company shipped 5.6 million Lumias during the first quarter, but only 400,000 units in the U.S. To improve its fortunes, Nokia's portfolio needs to be expanded with a more differentiated flagship, high-end device with a more premium metal finish, according to Geoff Blaber, analyst at CCS Insight.

Next week on May 14, Nokia will host a launch event in London where "the next chapter of the Lumia story" will be told. It remains to be seen if the Lumia 928 will be launched there, for the local market and for other parts of the world like the U.S., or if Nokia has something else up its sleeve.